The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-29
CHRISI'S WORDS HAVE SPIRIT AND.
LIFE.
BY Rev. J. s. PALMER.
Mansfield. Pa

VI tuc Icdl IucduluS LIS WUIuS
convey and they are spirit and life to
every one who fully believes what he
says, and exemplifies his words in his
life.
He informs us that "the flesh profits
nothing"-that is, it is useless as an aid
in religious thought, and our advance
ment in the moral and spiritual activi-
ties of life. If we had no other incen-
tive but the flesh, or animal nature, to
help us in our religious endeavors, we
should not much, if any, exceed the
perishing beasts in spiritual and moral
feeling. Wecould have no idea of spir-
ituality, any more than they have. We
should live for the qualification of the
carnal appetite, without any thoughts
of higher and nobler existence. We
could not appreciate the words of Jesus
who affirms-''the words speak unto
you, they are spirit and they are life"
They are to enlarge the thoughts, and
enlighten the spiritual sensibilities, and
thus culture the moral and intellectual
faculties. They are to aid us in per-
ceiving the extraordinary gifts of the
mind given us, and the real glory the
future opens to us.
The individual in the lowest states Of
barbarism has faculties for improve
ment in science and religion. He has
some ideas of duties to his fellows, and
of a life after the present is concluded
in death. He thinks he will have some
kind of employment, and better society
than he has had here. He is endowed
with mind which compels him to
think, and which unites him to the
great Author of his existence. He has
the breath of life from his Creator, and
that life pertains to the spiritual and
immortal. 1t has regard for the words
of Christ, who taught us of immortal
ity and eternal life.
Christ assures us that his words have
both spirit and life. That they may
have spirit and life they must be truth
full; and the truths they contain must
be understood and appreciated, and con-
genial to our best welfare. This is
true of the gospel.
Words are but signs of our thoughts
or ideas. They convey the thoughts of
our minds to other minds, and if their
is understood, those who may
be listening to what we say know what
is engaging our mental faculties. Our
thoughts for the time being are like
those to which we are listening, and so
are our feelings in great degree. If
there is food for the mind in the words
to which we listen, they will impart
their life and spiritual power. They
will generally excite in us the same, or
a similar feeling excited in the speaker.
If / in malicious way call my neigh
Dor liar, my words will most likely
violently arouse his passions against
me, and he will be tempted to vindicate
his injured feeling by personal violence
upon me. have called his veracity in
question by the words l have used, and
he feels himself dishonored, and he will
not be satisfied with this imputation
upon him. My words arouse the pas
sions, and thoughts suggested by the
passions which are carnal. They are
not words which give life, but moral
death. They yield pain instead of pleas
ure. They gain for me hatred instead
of love-and misery instead of happi-
ness. They are the opposite of the
words of Christ, for his yield happi-
ness, and exalt instead of debase.
tits true Christ spoke plainly against
all kinds Of sin and wickedness, from
which he came to redeem the world,
but he always spoke in love. His OBJ
ject was to gain the confidence of men,
and inspire love and confidence, as he
had a definite purpose and work, to
which he devoted the energies of his
life. His words were always attested
by his works, and both were instructive
in the right direction. They always
had an enlightening in6uence-some-
thing to add to the moral and spiritual
growth of his hearers.
Anything which will dispel the dark
ness of the intellect and illuminate the
human mind is useful to man. This is
the work of truth whether scientific or
religious. But our purpose is to speak
of the life religious truths imparts, and
to briefly note their effect upon the peo-
pie.
The state Of public feeling at the
time Christ lived and taught was but
little cultured in the loving graces of
society, even among the Jewish people,
as they sought to kill him for teaching
the most exalted neutrality-suspicious.
30 pure that they would not listen to
them. / will not say they could not
understand them, for they could with
proper culture. They were accessory
to his death, because he would not yield
to their traditions, and was ever true
to himself, his God, and the world.
But they could not kill the truths he
The words of his mouth will
live forever. They have spirit and life
as much to-day as when they were first